HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS / JUNIOR.
As a French language tutor, teaching in Melbourne for the past three years, I have often Year 11 and Year 12 students coming to me for help with the Oral component of the VCE exam. Most of them feel unprepared, because of the very small amount of time they get to practice speaking in school.
Indeed, learning how to read and write in a foreign language uses a different part of the brain as the one used for speaking and understanding oral language. Therefore, one can write and read at an advanced level and feel like a beginner when having a conversation.
Moreover, learning takes repetition. So, if a student barely experiences speaking, they won't have enough practice to be able to do it confidently and naturally.